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Royal Gorge Fire Update: 85% contained

Officials: fire 85 percent contained

By Carie Canterbury

canterburyc@canoncitydailyrecord.com

Posted:
06/15/2013 05:13:53 PM MDT

A close-up look at the Royal Gorge Fire burn area as it was Friday. Sheriff Jim Beicker escorted Cañon City Daily Record reporters on the tour of the south side of the Royal Gorge. (Brandon Hopper / Daily Record)

Food and Water Advisory

As many of the evacuated Fremont County residents return home, it is important to remember that food may be unsafe because of damaged containers or because the refrigerator or freezer was without power for up to 20 hours. As food waste spoils or decays, it can be a health hazard.

If power was off for more than four hours, it's time to clean it out! Do not keep any refrigerated food that may be spoiled or contaminated, including catsup, mustard, pickles, jelly, sandwich meat, milk, juices, etc. Full freezers can hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if only half full) if the door remained closed.

Any spoiled or smoke contaminated produce or dry food in damaged/contaminated packages should also be discarded. Do not keep any household medicines that were refrigerated and/or were spoiled or contaminated. Please contact your physician for further instructions on the handling and possible replacement of any refrigerated prescription medications.

Dumpsters for disposing of spoiled and/or contaminated food are available for residents returning to their homes after the Royal Gorge fire at the following locations through the weekend (removed on Monday morning):

Tunnel Drive

County Road 9, just north of U.S. 50

County Road 69

County Road 3A, near the checkpoint

County Road 61

Junction of County Roads 3 and 28

These dumpsters are for food products only and only for those families and businesses who were affected by a power outage or fire and are now cleaning their refrigerators, freezers and pantries of spoiled and/or contaminated foods. Double bag the spoiled food and dispose with the garbage or take to a dumpster site listed.

Water systems may have been adversely affected by the fire, power outages, equipment failure from fire damage or contamination. Be prepared and have plenty of bottled water available for drinking and cooking. Kits to test the safety of your well or cistern drinking water are free and will be available on Monday through the Fremont County Public Health Agency office in Cañon City. Kits may also be obtained by contacting the Environmental Health Services Officer, Sid Darden, at 615 Macon Avenue, Room 212, or by calling 719-276-7460.

For more information on air, food and water safety after a wildfire, visit the Fremont County website at http://fremontco.com or contact the Fremont County Public Health Agency at 275-1626.

The Royal Gorge Fire is still considered 85 percent and has burned an estimated 3,218 acres.

The Red Cross shelter at E-Free Church has closed, but the businesses along U.S. 50 and County Road 3A are open. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad also re-opened today and rafting is open to businesses up to Parkdale.

Residents who were displaced by the Royal Gorge Fire, or those who lost power as a result of the fire, are encouraged to visit the Fremont County Public Health website (fremontco.com.) for an important food and water safety alert. Dumpsters for disposing of spoiled or contaminated food will be available through the weekend for residents returning to their homes.

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